Complaints About Banks and Lenders

Learn how to complain about a problem with a bank or a lending company, such as a mortgage provider.

Bank and Credit Product Complaints

If you have a problem with your bank, financial institution, lender, broker, or any other financial service provider, you should report it. To guide you through the process of filing these types of complaints, the Federal Reserve offers consumer help and the following tips:

• First, try to resolve it with the manager at the branch location, the customer service hotline, or the institution’s website.
• When filing your complaint, clearly explain your problem and how you would like it to be resolved. Use this sample complaint letter for tips on what information to include in your complaint.
• Be sure to have copies of receipts, checks, or other proof of the transaction.

If you don’t get your problem resolved using these tips, you have the right to get help from the correct regulatory agency.

Complaints About Deposit Accounts

Financial institutions are regulated by different government agencies, depending on how the institution was chartered.

Use the Federal Reserve System’s financial institution search tool to find out which agency accepts complaints about the financial institution you need to file a complaint against. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation offers the contact information for the primary federal agencies that regulate financial institutions.

• To file a complaint about a national bank (those with National in their names, or N.A. after their name), contact the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.
• Contact the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency for complaints about federal savings and loans and federal savings banks.
• For a problem with a state-chartered bank and trust company, contact either the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or state banking authority.
• To file a complaint about a federally chartered credit union, contact the National Credit Union Administration.
• For a problem with a state-chartered bank that is a member of the Federal Reserve System, contact the Federal Reserve System.

Complaints About Other Financial Services

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints involving loan products, such as mortgage companies, car loans and leases, student loans, payday loans, and any other consumer loans. This agency also accepts complaints about other financial services, such as credit cards, prepaid cards, money transfers, and debt collection.

File a complaint about investments with the Securities and Exchange Commission or your state’s securities regulator. These agencies accept complaints about investment fraud, pyramid schemes, or other violations of federal and state securities laws.

Complaints About Mortgage Companies

If you have a complaint against a mortgage company, try to resolve it with the company first. Several government agencies accept complaints about mortgage lenders. In some cases, you should file your complaint with more than one agency, especially at the federal and state level.

Discrimination

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) enforces the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. This law prohibits lenders from denying credit because of certain characteristics. File a complaint with the CFPB if a lender has denied a mortgage application because of your:

• Age
• Sex (including gender)
• Marital status
• Children
• Race
• Nationality or ethnicity
• Religion
• Income from public assistance programs

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) enforces the Fair Housing Act. This law prohibits discrimination when you rent, buy, or secure financing for a home. Your state may also have a similar law. File a complaint with (HUD) and the fair housing office in your state if a mortgage company discriminated against you because of your:

• Race
• Color
• National origin
• Religion
• Sex
• Disability
• Presence of children

Mortgage Origination and Servicing

The CFPB enforces several laws, such as the Truth in Lending Act and the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act. These laws require lenders to disclose information to homebuyers before buying and over the life of the mortgage. File a complaint with the CFPB if you have a problem with a new or existing mortgage. Examples of common mortgage complaints include:

• Applying for a mortgage
• Receiving loan estimates and closing documents
• Transferring a mortgage to another servicer
• Applying your payments correctly
• Refinancing or modifying a mortgage loan
• Misreporting mortgage account status to you or to credit reporting agencies
• Requiring private mortgage insurance
• Paying additional fees

Deception and Scams

The Federal Trade Commission Act states that unfair and deceptive practices affecting commerce are unlawful. Report a mortgage company to the Federal Trade Commission if it makes deceptive statements, omits important facts, or takes misleading actions. Examples include:

• False statements about their ability to offer a loan
• Fees for mortgage services that aren’t provided
• Illegal tactics to collect on mortgage balances

Also, file a complaint with your state consumer protection office about a mortgage fraud or scam. Submit a complaint about a foreclosure scam with the HOPE NOW Alliance. Call 1-888-995-HOPE(1-888-995-4673) or (TTY 1-877-304-9709).

Complaints about Cars

If you have a complaint about your car, file it directly with the dealer, lender, or manufacturer. If you don’t get results, you can contact a state or federal government agency.  If your complaint is about:

• Deceptive car ads or dealers — File a complaint with your state consumer protection agency and the Federal Trade Commission.
• Terms of your auto loan agreement or payments — File a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
• Car warranty — Contact your state’s attorney general. However, if you bought a used car from a private owner, the warranty may not be valid.
• Safety of your car or equipment, such as child car seats or tires — File a complaint with the Department of Transportation.

Some agencies will investigate your complaint, but others may collect the information and file a case against the company in the future.

Lemon Laws

A car is called a “lemon” when it’s determined that the vehicle is defective beyond repair. Most states have some form of a lemon law to protect car buyers. These laws tend to only apply to new cars, but you should check with your state’s consumer protection office to see if they also cover used cars. Each state has its own requirements, but overall the ability for a car to qualify as a lemon depends on a few things:

• Number of miles driven — The defects had to happen within a certain number of months or miles driven.
• Substantial defects — Defects have to be major, and involve the actual operation of the car, such as the initiation, brakes, engine, transmission, or other major parts of the car.
• Reasonable repair attempts — You have to give mechanics multiple chances to repair the problems.
• Number of days in the shop — Your car has to have been in the mechanic’s shop for a significant number of days, (generally 30 days or more) within a year.

To get your problem resolved, first contact the car manufacturer. Send the manufacturer a complaint letter by certified mail detailing the problems, copies of work orders and invoices, and your request for a refund or other solution. If the manufacturer doesn’t help, you still may be able to resolve the problem. Many car contracts have mandatory arbitration clauses to settle disputes, so that may be your next step. Check with your state attorney general or consumer protection officeto get the rules specific to where you live.

You can also contact the Better Business Bureau (BBB) AUTO LINE, a lemon law complaint program that covers car warranty issues against participating manufacturers.

File Complaints with Cable or Satellite Television Providers

Do you have a complaint about your cable or satellite company’s programs or services? To help resolve these issues, find out how to file a complaint:

Common Complaints

While customers can face various cable and satellite service issues, these are some of the most common:

• Billing disputes
• Rate increases
• Interruption of service

You should always contact your cable or satellite company first if you have a complaint. The telephone number for your service provider should be on your bill.

Contact a Third Party

If you are not satisfied with your cable or satellite company’s response, you should contact a third party. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and local franchising authorities are responsible for enforcing a variety of cable and satellite television regulations.

• Local franchising authority- This is your local municipal, county, or other government organization that regulates certain aspects of the cable television industry at the state or local level. The name of the franchising authority may be on the front or back of your cable bill.
  • If this information is not on your bill, contact your service provider or your local town or city hall.
• Federal Communications Commission (FCC)- The FCC enforces a variety of cable and satellite regulations to help protect consumers.
  • You can file a complaint and learn about consumer issues, including cable and satellite television, through the Consumer Complaint Center. For general questions, call 1-888-225-5322.
• Public Utility Commission (PUC)- This is responsible for some cable and satellite issues handled at the state level, which include 1) stand-alone satellite TV billing, rates, and programming 2) installation of non-bundled service and 3) stand-alone cable TV service, rates, and programming (not including basic tier).
  • To find your state PUC, refer to the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners.

File a Complaint Letter

A written letter is a good strategy as you will have a record of your communication with the cable or satellite company. You can also copy and paste your complaint into the company’s “Contact Us” form

Complaints About Travel

You can direct most complaints related to travel to:

• Your state consumer protection office
• The Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
• Your local Better Business Bureau

Consult a licensed attorney or file a case in a local small claims court if the complaint is severe.

Complaints About an Airline

The kind of complaint you have determines the agency you should contact.

• Service or Discrimination – First attempt to resolve your complaint with the airline. If the airline doesn’t fix the problem, file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).
• Airline Safety – Contact the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
• Airline Security – Contact the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

Check out Got Flights? Know Your Rights to learn about your rights and responsibilities as an air traveler and how to avoid problems.

Complaints About Vacation Rental Scams

Private home, property, and room rentals can be excellent housing choices for a vacation. It’s easier than ever to find a great vacation rental through an online listing or vacation rental platform. It’s also easier than ever to be scammed. Learn how to report and avoid vacation property rental scams.

Report a Scam

Report a rental scam to the state consumer protection or attorney general’s office or local law enforcement where the property is located as well as the Federal Trade Commission.

If you found the scam rental ad online or were scammed using the internet, also report the scam to the website where it was posted and the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Protect Yourself

Learn how to avoid a vacation rental scam and how to spot common rental scams.

Do

• Look at pictures of the rental property and maps of the area before you rent the property.
• Make sure the property is located close enough to the tourist sites and attractions that you want to visit.
• Make sure that the person renting you the home or property is the actual owner or is authorized to rent the property.
• Research complaints about the property owner or listing agent with the state consumer protection office.
• Contact the real estate licensing agency in the place where the vacation home is located to learn your rental rights.
• Make sure payment and refund policies are written into your contract. Pay with a credit card so you can dispute the charge for the rental if there is a problem.
• If you book lodging through an online rental platform, be wary if a host asks you to communicate by private email or pay outside of the platform’s system.

Don’t

• Don’t pay with cash, a cashier’s check, or a money transfer until you are sure that the rental is legitimate. Money sent by wire or transfer cannot be refunded.
• Don’t forget to look carefully at pictures of your potential rental for signs of tampering or alteration to make the rental look more appealing.
• Don’t answer odd questions about yourself or your family that could make it easier for scammers to get your personal information.
• Don’t hesitate to ask for reviews, references, or certifications from the landlord or management company.
• Don’t skip reading the rental contract before you make a deposit.

Complaints About a Hotel or Motel

To complain about service or accommodations at a hotel or motel, attempt to resolve the matter through the company first:

• Direct your complaint to the establishment’s manager or customer service line.
• Contact the regional manager or another senior executive if you feel your complaint was not handled properly.

Complaints About Travel Agents or Travel Agencies

File your complaint about a travel agent or agency with the accredited membership organization the agent/agency belongs to:

• Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC)
• American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA)
• National Tour Association (NTA)

Complaints About Cruises

Learn about your legal rights and how to file a complaint.

• Learn about cruise lines’ legal obligations to passengers, and how passengers can safeguard their financial investment.
• Get help resolving consumer complaints.
• Be aware of the Passenger Bill of Rights that cruise industry members have voluntarily adopted.
• View passenger cruise ship information that includes vessel safety and crime reports

Complain about a United States Embassy or Consulate

To complain about waste, fraud, abuse, or misconduct at a U.S. Embassy or consulate, first try to resolve the issue with that Embassy or consulate.

If you are unable to do so for any reason, learn how to file a complaint with the Office of Inspector General (OIG) in the U.S. Department of State (DOS).

Mandatory Arbitration Clauses

Mandatory arbitration clauses are phrases written into contracts that state that if you have a dispute with a company, you must resolve it through arbitration. These clauses can prevent you from filing a lawsuit against a company. Arbitration clauses are fairly common in automotive, credit card, and cell phone contracts. But now, they are appearing in website terms and conditions statements, coupons, or corporate social media profiles. While arbitration can be less expensive, it is sometimes seen as unfair to make arbitration a requirement before a negative incident has happened or knowing how serious the problem is. Also, the decisions are binding, so you can’t appeal the decision, even if the company was severely negligent. Before you sign a contract or even use a website, read the contract or terms of service for mentions of “arbitration”, “binding arbitration” or “resolution programs”; this language is often in the fine print of the contract and can be easily missed. Also, note that some companies may let you opt-out of these clauses, if you do so within 30 days.